Events May Be Stimulating Old Feelings

Dear Nancy: I’m a 27 year-old wife and mother and, until recently, worked in a challenging profession. I’m now a stay-at-home mother which feels great. As a child and teenager, I was a good student and a responsible, well-behaved child. I’ve had this dream several times. - Gina

I’m a teenager, living at home with my parents, and suddenly remember I have a pet hamster. His cage is in the basement, and I can’t remember how long it’s been since I fed him, gave him water or even looked at him! I’m in a panic, afraid to check on him for fear of what his condition will be. I can’t believe I’ve forgotten about him for so long!

Dear Gina: We normally dream of being younger when the events in our lives stimulate feelings similar to those we had at that particular age. Often these dreams require us to look back at the beliefs, attitudes, abilities or events we experienced with the idea that there’s something to learn from them.

Your hamster is in a cage in the basement. Houses often symbolize our “self,” and because basements are underground, they represent the dreamer’s subconscious. Is there a part of you that feels caged up and ignored? As a teenager, did you hold yourself back from doing things you wanted to do? Are you dealing with these issues now?

What did you love to do as a teenager? Often we set aside our dreams as we grow older and forget things that nurtured and excited us. You said on the telephone you used to love music and art but were discouraged by your parents, who wanted you to be more practical.

Perhaps now that you have more free time, you can return to the things you love to do. This would nurture and free your natural creativity that’s been abandoned and ignored.

What part of yourself have you forgotten? That you’ve had this dream several times shows it’s an important issue. It might help to sit quietly and go within yourself for the answers. Trust yourself as your search for the truth.

Tips

Colors in dreams are often significant. Here are examples of their basic meanings:

Red - Passion, life, energy, sexuality, anger, danger, blood, masculinity; it may mean “stop.”

Yellow - Peace, intelligence, cowardice or fear as in “yellow streak,” humility, promise of good things to come.

Orange - Combination of the meanings of yellow and red.

Green - Healing, new growth, nature, jealousy as in “green with envy,” creativity, fertility; may mean “go,” or decay.

Violet or Purple - Wisdom, knowledge, divine protection, spirituality, mystical, royalty, deep intuition.

Blue - Peace, contemplation, limitlessness, cool, faith, compassion, depression as in “feeling blue,” universal life force.

Black: The unknown, the unconscious, mystery, sorrow, death, evil.

White - Truth, purity, innocence, virginity, light of God, protection, guidance, happiness.

Brown - Grounding, earthiness, physical side of self, fertility; also could be low spirits or depression.

Rose or Pink - Love, affection, femininity.

Turquoise - Healing, spirituality.

Gold - Christ light, divine consciousness, majesty, life, cosmic intelligence, immortality, self-renewal, new life, treasure.

, DataTimes MEMO: Nancy Huseby Bloom has studied dreams for 18 years. Dreams may be sent to her c/o The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615, or fax, (509) 459-5098. Include a short summary of the circumstances in your life, your name, address and phone number. Nancy conducts dream groups on a regular basis. Call 455-3450.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Nancy Huseby Bloom The Spokesman-Review